How to Navigate the Holidays Alone: A Stoic View

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism.
In this episode, we explore a theme that quietly weighs on many people during this time of year: navigating the holidays alone. While the holiday season is often portrayed as a time of togetherness, joy, and celebration, it can also amplify feelings of loneliness, pressure, and comparison. The Stoics approached these moments differently, not by denying the difficulty, but by understanding it through reason, acceptance, and self-knowledge.

At the heart of this episode is the Stoic distinction between loneliness and solitude. Loneliness arises when our desires and expectations clash with reality, when we believe something essential is missing. Solitude, by contrast, is a state of inner steadiness, a calm connection with oneself that does not depend on external circumstances.

Seneca captures this beautifully when he writes:
“…we say the wise man is self-content; he is so in the sense that he is able to do without friends, not that he desires to do without them.”
Seneca, Letters from a Stoic, Letter 9

For the Stoics, this wasn’t about rejecting relationships or becoming emotionally distant, but about grounding our well-being in what truly belongs to us: our judgments, values, and character. When Seneca speaks of self-contentment, he isn’t praising isolation, but reminding us that inner stability is the foundation for meaningful connection, not its opposite.

Here are a few Stoic practices from this episode you can explore in your own life:

• Examining desires – Notice where your expectations about the holidays come from, and whether they are reasonable or imposed by social pressure.

• Reframing impressions – When thoughts of “I shouldn’t be alone” arise, pause and question the judgment behind them.

• Practicing solitude – Use time alone for reflection, rest, and reconnection with your values, rather than distraction.

• Voluntary withdrawal from comparison – Step back from social media when it fuels restlessness or self-judgment.

This episode gently reframes the holidays as an opportunity for honesty and presence. By applying the Stoic view, moments of solitude can become moments of clarity, grounding, and even quiet joy. Stoicism shows us that peace does not come from having life look a certain way, but from learning to meet life as it is, with reason and kindness toward ourselves.

Listen to the full episode now and discover how navigating the holidays alone can transform the way you think, act, and relate to yourself.

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